LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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014 423 489 3 • 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCH 



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LATE GOVERNOR 



OF 



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BY 

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JAMES M. CLEVELAND. 






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EALEIGH: 

PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF THE "SOUTHERN WEEKLY POST. 

1853. 



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The followino^ article is taken from the De- 
mocratic Stcu\ published at Helena^ Arlcansas: 

"A NEW FEATURE" 

The Editor of this paper has been, for the 
last three or four years, preparing for the Press 
a Volume which, when completed, he designs 
publishing, entitled, '-'' Biographical SkdJies oi 
all the Governors elected in the several States, 
since their transition from Territorial or Colonial 
Governments, up to the close of the year 18 — , 
drawn from Authentic Sources. By Ja.mes IM. 
Cleveland. With numerous fac simile Auto- 
graphs." Extracts from the Work will be pub- 
lished in the ^^Skcr^''^ from time to time, with a 
view of bringing the Work to the notice of the 
public; and, at the same time, presenting our 
readers with a greater variety of original mat- 
ter. The following is an Extract from the 
Manuscript of the Woi'k : 



Ci)arie0 Manl^ 



LATE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



"Basil Manly, the father of the subject of this 
Sketch, was born and raised in St. Mary's County, 
Maryland. He removed to IS'orth Carolina hefore 
the American Revolution, settled in the County of 
Bladen, and was a bold and active partizan Officer, 
holding the commission of Captain in the Militia ser- 
vice during the War. 

" He married Elizabeth MxVultsby, of Bladen ; 
and, on account of ill health, removed to the County 
of Chatham, where he died in the year 1824, at a 
very advanced age — universally respected as a man 
of great decision of character, of high moral courage, 
and the most inflexible love of justice and honesty. 
Having enjoyed but very limited means of education 
himself, and witnessed, during the stormy period of 
the Revolution and the years which followed, the 
signal advantages possessed by men of letters, he de- 
voted all the energies of an industrious and frugal 
life to the bestowal on his sons of a liberal education. 
He lived to accomj^lish, with great gratification, this 



6 

cherished object of his heart; and his pious and ami- 
able widow — a woman of extraordinary mental en- 
dowments — still survives, to rejoice at the results of 
their joint efforts and sacrifices and prayers, in wit- 
nessing the eminent success in life of their three 
sons : — Chables Manly, the late Governor of North 
Carolina ; Basil Manly, who was graduated at the 
South Carolina College, at Columbia, with the high- 
est honors of the Institution, and is now President of 
the Alabama University ; and Matthias Evans Man- 
ly, who was graduated at the University of North 
Carolina, with the highest honors of that Institution, 
and is now, and has been for several years, one of the 
Judges of the Superior Courts of Law and Equity in 
the State. 

" Charles Manly, the oldest son, was born in the 
County of Chatham, on the 13th day of May, 1795. 
He was prepared for College by that excellent classi- 
cal scholar, and rigid disciplinarian, the late Rev. 
William BinCxHam, at the Pittsboro' Academy, 
and entered the University, at Chapel Hill, in the 
year 1811. During the whole of his college course, 
he received the first distinction in all his classes, was 
regarded as one of the best declaimers in college, 
and graduated in 1814, with the first honor of the 
senior class. 



"The late John Haywood, of Raleigh, attended 
the Commencement of that year, as one of the Visit- 
ing Trustees, and, attracted by the college reputation 
of this young man, engaged him as a private tutor 
for his sons. 

" This situation was highly acceptable and advan- 
tageous to young Manly; for, besides enjoying the 
favorable regard and friendship of Mr. Haywood, 
the most popular and influential man of that day in 
the State, he thus procured means, without calling 
upon the narrow income of his father, to prosecute 
the study of law. He continued in this double occu- 
pation for two years, and still cherishes, with undi- 
minished respect and aff'ection, the memory of his 
early friend and patron," that great and good man, 
the late John Haywood. 

"He was admitted to the bar in 1816, and to prac- 
tice in the Superior Courts in 1817. During the lat- 
ter year, he was married to Miss Charity H. Hay- 
wood, daughter of William Henry Haywood, and 
thereupon settled permanently in the city of Raleigh, 
and commenced the practice of law. 

" Soon after coming to the bar, he was elected by 
the Justices, over a popular competitor, County At- 
torney for Chatham, the duties of which station he 
discharged very acceptably to all concerned, for 
many years, and until he resigned. 



8 

" Upon the death of General Kobert Williams, he 
was appointed his successor as Treasurer of the Board 
of Trustees of the University; and, in that capacity, 
has been signally instrumental in so arranging and 
managing the finances of the Institution as to place 
her in a position of eminent prosperity. 

"During the sitting of the Legislature in 1823, the 
reading Clerk of the House of Commons resigned. 
The late John Stanly, then a prominent member of 
that body, sent immediately for Mr. Manly, and after 
a short consultation nominated him for the office. 
He was elected, and continued for many successive 
sessions, by unanimous re-appointment, to discharge 
the duties of that station. He was subsequently 
elected Chief Clerk of the House of Commons, which 
office he held, always without opposition, until the 
year 1842, when the Democratic party having a ma- 
jority, dismissed him, together with the other Whig 
officers of the House. At the ensuing election, under 
a Whig dynasty, he was re-elected chief Clerk, and 
so continued until he resigned in 1848. 

"In the year 1823, the joint American and British 
Commission established under that article of the 
treat}^ of Ghent relative to the clahns of x\merican 
citizens for slaves and other property taken away by 
the British, during the war of 1812, assembled in 
the City of Washington : Langdon Cheves, of South 



9 

Carolina, and TTenrv Seawell, of North Carolina, 
being on the American side, and George Jackson 
and John McTavish on the British side of said Com- 
mission. This body appointed Charles Manly Clerk 
to the Commission. This post, connected as it was 
with the Diplomatic corps at Washington, was a 
A*ery desirable one to a yonng man. It afforded him 
a passport to tlie best society, and enabled him to form 
the acqniantance of many of the most eminent men 
of that day. Mr. Manly held this place for twelve 
months, when, discovering that it interfered materi- 
ally with his professional jnirsnits, he resigned it 
with great regret, lie now devoted hiniself to his 
profession with ardor and snccess. 

"The Alumni Association of the University in- 
vited Mr. Manly to deliver the first " Annual Ad- 
dress" before that body, at the College Commence- 
ment of 1838. The invitation was accepted on very 
short notice, yet the Address and style of delivery 
will be long remembered by the crowded auditory 
present on that occasion, as one of the very hajjpiest 
efforts of chaste as well as ])opnlar elocution. 

"Unambitious of political distinction, he was 
never a candidate before the people for any olfice 
until the year 1840, wdien he was elected a whig 
elector of President and Vice President of the Uni- 



10 

ted Shitcs; and in the Electoral College of that year 
cast the vote of North Carolina for AV^illiani II. 
I Harrison and Johii Tvler. 



" During tiie heated jHjIitical campaigns of 1840 
and 1814, Mr. Manly was a decided but not vindic- 
tive partizan, and rendered etHcient service to his 
party as a nieniher of the AVhig Central Conimrttee, 
and as (Hiairnian of that committee in the memora- 
ble campaign of 1840. 

" In the year 1848, witliont the employment on his 
pai't <.)f those electioneei'ing arts sometimes practiced, 
lie was nominated by the Whig Convention as their 
candidate for Covei-nor of the State. The election 
being by ])opular suffrage, he canvassed the State 
with great satisfaction to his friends, and with mark- 
ed ability, and was elected. He was installed into 
the office of Govei-nor on the first day of January, 
1841), and served his constitutional term of two years. 
In 1850, lie was again unanimously nominated by 
the Whig Convention for re-election. h\ conse- 
rpience of that want of ardor in a party confident of 
victory, as well as some sectional divisions in the 
Whig raid<s on questions of State })olicy, he was 
beaten by the Hon. David S. Ileid, his Democratic 
competitor. 



11 

"Governor Manly, in the vigor of health and ma- 
ture age, has resumed the practice of his profession. 
Greatly distinguished for his social virtues, of benev- 
olent disposition, of urbane and polished manners 
beloved at home and respected by all, in the enjoy- 
ment of a competency secured by honef^t industiy, 
economy, and prudence in his affairs, he lives the 
unaffected examplar of a well-bred genthsman and a 
good citizen." 



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